


the baby-sitters (crush) club

by sometypeofusername



Category: The Baby-Sitters Club (TV 2020)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:21:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25325308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sometypeofusername/pseuds/sometypeofusername
Summary: Basically, I read the BSC books when my mom passed them down to me and I joined the large population of fans that believe that Kristy Thomas is- nonscripted- yet obviously, gay. With the new series on Netflix, I was like, "oh, ya, that's right." But now I think that Dawn and Kristy would be pretty cute and their personalities would match really well. Anyway.
Relationships: Dawn Schafer/Kristy Thomas
Comments: 44
Kudos: 70





	1. Kristy Thomas has layers

Kristy Thomas was one of the most narcissistic, impatient, and impulsive people in Stoneybrook. But, she was also one of the most honest, boldest, and sincere people. She was a natural-born leader. Dawn also thought she was the prettiest (but she'd never admit that out loud).

She and Kristy had a rough start to their friendship; Kristy likes control and Dawn likes compromise- they both were stubborn in their own ways, so it was inevitable that their personalities would clash to some extent.

As Dawn got to know Kristy, she realized what hid behind her bitterness. She couldn't control her dad abandoning her, or her mom remarrying, so she wanted to control every other aspect of her life. And sure, it was obnoxious and caused some turmoil here and there, but they all learned how to support her and work around her bad habits. They knew how much they meant to her- and the love was absolutely mutual. She just showed it in her own ways.

—-

"Dawn, you're late," Kristy pointed out as soon as Dawn walked through the door. She sighed.

"I know, I'm sorry. I got caught up in a conversation with my...uh.." she paused, not wanting to say she was talking to her dad. She hated seeing Kristy's face drop whenever someone mentioned their dad, even though she tried her best to hide it.

"I got caught up in a conversation with my Aunt. Apparently, she gave someone a bad tarot card reading and they were trying to get their money back."

That wasn't a complete lie- but it wasn't the truth at the moment.

"Well, don't make it a habit," Kristy crossed her arms and went off on one of her rants about their club's rivalry with the Babysitters Agency. Does she ever take a break from complaining? Is she actually _happy_ with her life?

"I don't understand, they could make a lot more money bagging groceries. We aren't even old enough to hang clothes on a rack at the thrift store!"

"I think they just want to stir the pot," Claudia pitched, "they don't like that 14-year-olds are more successful than they are."

Dawn listened as her friends shared their ideas on how to gain more clientele, and she found herself wanting to hear more of Kristy's point of view. The more meetings she attended, the more she realized how intelligent the girl actually was.

For one, her vocabulary was far more extensive than any other average 7th grader, and Dawn was pretty sure she saw an Algebra 1 book in her locker- a Freshman class. The admirable thing about Kristy was that she would never boast about her grades to the group, and Dawn wondered why.

Kristy liked being the center of attention, so why wouldn't she use her grades to get that? Dawn thought about asking her but didn't want to make it sound like she caught her in the act. Maybe it just never crossed Kristy's mind, just how smart she was.

"Dawn, were a lot of people gay in California?" Stacey asked. It was obvious that there was more context behind the question, but Dawn had drifted off in her thoughts.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so. There are gay people everywhere," she answered.

"I wonder what it'd be like to kiss a girl," Stacey admitted.

"I wonder what it'd be like to kiss _anyone,_ " Kristy joked, making everyone laugh.

"Do you even want to? You never talk about your crushes."

"That's because boys are a waste of my time," she replied with confidence. This made Dawn smile, she loved Kristy's independence.

"Or, _maybe_ you like _girls_ ," Mary-Anne teased. Dawn studied Kristy's reaction, but couldn't read her expression.

Kristy was really good at suppressing her emotions- or at least good at hiding them. Dawn once talked to Mary-Anne about it.

" _It_ _'_ _s weird she broke down in front of you the other day...I rarely ever see her like that._ _"_

" _Really?_ _"_

" _Really. The last time I saw her cry was when her dad left...3 years ago._ _"_

That was when Dawn decided that she wanted to knock down Kristy's walls and peek behind all that roughness. She wanted to see Kristy be genuinely happy.

"I don't like _anyone_. I'm 14, remember? Not everyone is boy-crazy like you," Kristy rebutted.

"I'm not either, Kristy," Dawn joined. Kristy looked over at her, but her face remained the same. Expressionless.

"Do you like girls, Dawn?" Claudia asked and the other girls waited for Dawn to answer- it made her a little uncomfortable.

For one, yes, she did have an interest in girls, but she'd also had crushes on boys before. She'd never kissed a girl either. But, this didn't mean she was going to just come forward about it right here and right now.

"Maybe, I don't know," she said.

" _Why did I say that?_ _"_ She thought.

"Hey, you could be Kristy's first kiss! Then she won't have to be a kiss-virgin anymore, and you will know if you like girls!" Stacey offered. Kristy's eyes widened in shock.

Dawn could've sworn she saw her cheeks blush, just the slightest bit.

"No way, I'm not kissing anyone today," Kristy crossed her arms once again and leaned back in her chair, "especially not Dawn."

"I thought you weren't afraid of anything, Kristy..." Claudia teased. The look on Mary-Anne's face showed disapproval in the conversation.

"Kristy shouldn't be pressured into having her first kiss, it should be natural," she defended, gaining a look of approval from Kristy.

"Thank you, Mary-Anne. Now, can we get back to business?" Kristy looked over at Dawn after the other girls started to talk about the club again. Her expression was a mixture of embarrassment and uncomfortableness.

Dawn smiled to comfort her, but Kristy just focused her attention back to the conversation. Dawn sighed quietly and rejoined as well.

—-

"Hey, Claud," Dawn yelled, catching up with her friend in between classes. It had been a few days since their last meeting and she hadn't had a chance to talk about what happened.

"What's up?"

"Does Kristy hate me?"

Claudia paused before shaking her head.

"No, I don't think so. I think she just gets defensive when her position in the group is threatened."

"She's threatened by me?" Dawn asked, dumbstruck. She hoped that wasn't true.

"Maybe? You should just ask her, I have to get to class. If I'm late again my parents will kill me," Claudia said as she scurried to her class. Dawn did the same.

—

Dawn didn't have any classes with Kristy, but their last periods were across the hall from each other. Normally Dawn would be one of the last people out of class- opposite to Kristy- but she made sure to pack up quickly in order to catch her in the hall.

As soon as the bell rung, she was out of there. Just as she predicted, Kristy was the first one out. She quickly turned the other way and sped walked out the building. She was avoiding Dawn, Dawn was sure of it

 _God, she is quic_ k

"Are you stalking me or something?" Was the greeting that she received from Kristy.

Dawn grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, and Kristy pulled her arm back.

"What?" Kristy reacted.

"Are you avoiding me?" Dawn asked; she might as well just lay it all on the table.

"No, I'm just walking home like I usually do."

"Okay..." she had a point, "I'll walk you home."

"Your house is that way," Kristy pointed to the right and Dawn nodded.

"My mom can just pick me up from your house."

"Oh, so now you're inviting yourself over-"

"Do you hate me or something?" Dawn interrupted. Kristy uncrossed her arms and put them in her hoodie pocket.

"I don't hate you."

"Okay, because you give me the cold shoulder a lot, and honestly it got worse after the last BSC meeting."

Kristy nodded and looked down at her feet, rolling a pebble underneath one. Dawn couldn't tell if she was nervous or irritated. After a moment of silence, she asked again.

"Dawn, no. I don't hate you, you're my friend."

"Then what is it?"

"The last meeting was weird."

"Because of the kiss thing?"

"Duh, you made me look like a total idiot," Kristy answered, looking back up at the taller girl.

"How did _I_ make you look like an idiot? It wasn't my idea to kiss you," at this point, Dawn found herself getting a little impatient- something she rarely ever experienced. She was usually pretty easy going, but something about Kristy just drove her nuts.

She didn't even _want_ to kiss Kristy in the first place. Kristy was sour and distant and if Dawn _did_ want to kiss her, it would never be in front of the group.

_Wait, what?_

"You made me look like an idiot because you said nothing the whole time," Kristy raised her voice, she was not good at being subtly annoyed.

"What was I supposed to say?" Dawn asked, matching Kristy's tone.

"You could've said that you didn't want to..." she paused, "unless you _did_ want to? Oh my god...you totally have a crush on me."

"I do not have a crush on you."

Kristy smiled and walked closer to Dawn, patting her arm.

"Whatever you say, buddy." And she walked off. Dawn didn't follow- she didn't know how to come back from that.

She definitely did _not_ have a crush on Kristy Thomas.


	2. Dawn Schafer is not impulsive

When Dawn got home, her mom could immediately tell that she was upset. She calmly called her over to sit at the kitchen table, lighting a candle in the center of it.

"Honey..."

"Yes?"

"What's wrong?"

At first, Dawn was angry, then the anger turned to tears. They _do_ say that anger is a secondary emotion, after all. There's always hurt underneath it.

"Kristy, she thinks I have a crush on her."

"Well, do you?"

"No, Mom! I don't have a crush on her, good lord. Why would anyone think I have a crush on her? She is in _no way_ the kind of person that I'd want to date," she ranted.

"You're being awfully defensive."

"Are you taking her side?" Dawn asked angrily, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

Dawn's mother sat still and quiet to collect her thoughts before responding.

"Maybe Kristy has a crush on you."

"What?"

"Oftentimes people act mean toward someone because they like them- it's a defensive thing. Something to draw the attention off of their true feelings," her mom answered, "even though that's not an excuse for anyone's behavior."

Dawn sniffled and fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. She didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she abruptly ended the conversation by leaving the room and into her own. She tossed her backpack on her desk chair and fell onto her bed, covering her face with her hands.

She tried to focus on something else, but Kristy was the only thing on her mind. She wondered if Kristy was also this caught up on what happened, or if she was going about her day like everything was normal. She read through the messages that were coming through in their BSC group chat, but Kristy was the only one who wasn't replying.

Dawn replied to Mary-Anne's message about how rude her teacher was today.

**I hate it when that happens.**

She sent it with hopes that Kristy would see her name pop up on her phone and think of her. Maybe she would reply to the group chat.

Unfortunately, the other girls faded out of the conversation as they each fell asleep, leaving Dawn to bathe in her own restlessness. She tossed and turned all night, but couldn't get the day off her mind.

—

Dawn woke up with one thing on her to-do list: she was not going to let this situation bother her. She was going to go about her day with a clear mindset so she can attend the BSC meeting without being weird.

That was easier said than done, but the school day finally ended. It felt twice as long as it usually does. Dawn took her time packing up so she wouldn't see Kristy in the hallway, and also made sure that she'd be the last to show up to the meeting. She did that just in case everyone else was late, leaving her and Kristy alone together.

"Look who decided to show up!" Kristy greeted her.

"Actually, Kristy, she's right on time," Claudia defended her, earning a gracious smile from Dawn.

Dawn took a seat on the couch next to Stacey and they talked about their week as they waited for the phone to ring.

When it did, Stacey jumped to answer first.

"Baby-Sitters Club, this is Stacey speaking!" She answered enthusiastically. Dawn respected her enthusiasm.

"Okay, sure, hold for one second please," she covered the speaker with her hand, "the Hawkin's need a sitter this Saturday night. They said they've got an extra 3 kids that need to be watched and requested 2 sitters."

"I can't do it, I've got an art seminar."

"Me neither, my dad is making me go to a self-defense class with him."

"Okay, that leaves Dawn and Kristy."

Kristy shook her head first, beating Dawn to it.

"I can't, I...Watson wants to take us to a movie."

_Was that a lie?_

"Okay, looks like it's you and me, Dawn!" Stacey volunteered and returned to the call to confirm. Dawn was a little offended that she didn't wait to check if she was busy, but she let it slide. She needed the money.

—

Saturday rolled around and Dawn was heading out the door to sit for the Hawkin's. Their house was pretty big and Dawn was pleased to walk into a quiet setting. The kids were watching a movie in the living room and there was an open pizza box on the kitchen counter.

She put her bag by the door, followed by her shoes, and greeted the kid's parents. They thanked her for coming and promised they'd be home by 11.

Just as they walked out the door, she got a call from Stacey.

"Hello?"

"Dawn, don't kill me but I can't make it tonight."

"What? Why?" Dawn peeked in the living room to check on the kids- there were 6 of them. It was definitely too much for one person to handle.

"My blood sugar's been too low all day and my mom's taking me to primary health to make sure everything was okay with my insulin. I'm sorry!"

Dawn sighed, "it's okay, there's just a lot of kids here and the movie's almost over."

"It's no problem, I talked Kristy into helping. It took some convincing, but you won't have to worry about handling the kids on your own."

Dawn's face went pale and her heart dropped. Being alone in a house with a Kristy scared her.

"O-okay, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, good luck!" Stacey said before she hung up.

It took another 15 minutes for Kristy to show up, but when she did, it was awkward.

"I'm sorry you had to miss your movie," Dawn said calmly.

"It's fine, movies are too long anyway. I get bored."

Dawn nodded and they watched the credits roll from the movie.

She was hoping that the kids would stay relaxed and quiet but was dreadfully wrong. Almost immediately they were bouncing off the walls. Kristy and Dawn struggled to calm them down enough to get ready for bed.

Once the hard work was done, they plopped on the couch to catch their breaths.

"I'm excited to have kids, but not _that_ excited," Kristy mumbled, pulling out her phone. Dawn did the same.

It wasn't until ten minutes passed by before Kristy broke the uncomfortable silence.

If only she did it without saying something uncomfortable.

"You know, if you wanted to babysit with me you could've just said so."

"What're you talking about?"

"Because you have a crush on me."

"First of all, I didn't _want_ to babysit with you- Stacey called in last minute...you know that. Second, drop the crush talk. It's not true," Kristy's stern look went soft, then she smirked.

"Denial," was all she said before going back to scrolling Instagram.

Dawn felt herself getting upset and was tired of what Kristy was saying. Then, she remembered her conversation with her mom: _Often times people act mean toward someone because they like them_

Dawn decided to give Kristy a taste of her own medicine.

She took in a deep breath and set her phone in her lap, looking over at Kristy next to her. Kristy noticed her staring and turned her head.

"What are you looking-" she was cut off by Dawn's hands softly holding her cheeks and her lips against her own.

Kristy was in shock and didn't respond right away. Dawn swore she felt her start to reciprocate the kiss right before she pulled away. For that reason, Dawn wished she had waited longer to break it.

Kristy's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were wide. She reached up to touch her lips with her fingers, "What was that for..."

"I-I don't know, I just wanted you to be the uncomfortable one," Dawn stuttered.

She wanted to kiss Kristy again, so she leaned over to close the gap. To her demise, Kristy backed up. She put her hand on Dawn's chest to stop her from coming closer, rejecting the kiss.

"I'm not gay..." Kristy whispered. It almost looked like she was going to cry.

"I didn't say you were," Dawn told her at the same volume. She sat back up all the way and Kristy did the same.

"I have to go, I'm sorry."

And just like that, Kristy had hurried out the door. Dawn sat on the couch and tried to fully grasp onto what just happened. Maybe her mom was wrong about Kristy. _Maybe_ Kristy wasn't into girls at all- maybe she just fit all of the stereotypes.

She wasn't upset about Kristy leaving her to finish the babysitting job, but more so that she had to spend the rest of it worrying about Kristy; The kiss, her reaction, whether or not it would ever be brought up again. She honestly wasn't sure what came over her; in the moment, it seemed like a good idea. In the moment, Kristy's hair was up and her hands were unusually small and Dawn wondered how recently she had put chapstick on because her lips weren't dry at all.

And then she wondered what it'd feel like to kiss them. Would Kristy's lips taste like the Burt's Bees chapstick she keeps in her pocket? Would her hands feel just as soft as they looked against Dawn's cheeks? Would she be confident and dominant as she was normally, or would she be breathless and nervous?

Dawn had to find out for herself.

Unfortunately, that only led her to where she was now. That, and she only found one answer to her many questions: Burt's Bees was her new favorite chapstick.


	3. Sleepover at Stacey's

One of Kristy's greatest talents is hiding how she truly feels; Dawn's mom said that some people would rather be broken on the inside than vulnerable on the outside. Kristy was definitely a little broken and even though her friends and family tried to show her how important she was, Dawn still thinks that Kristy always had something to prove. Maybe, she was constantly trying to one-up herself.

Dawn dedicated Sundays to schoolwork and family time, and she rarely ever took babysitting jobs on them. Fortunately for her, most families were home on Sundays, and when someone _did_ need a sitter, Claudia or Kristy was usually available. This Sunday was difficult for Dawn to focus on her math assignment because her mind was filled with anxiety and regret.

_I'm never regretful, I always see the good in every situation._

No matter what Dawn tried to tell herself, she was completely distracted by what happened last night. She thought about reaching out to Kristy, but she knew that 1) Kristy doesn't like to confront her emotions and 2) Dawn was scared shitless of her now. Dawn ruled out that option and brainstormed other ideas on how to either steer her mind off of Kristy or how to resolve the issue. 

Dawn's mom peeked over her shoulder to check on Dawn's progress, "you've been going at this for an hour, I thought you were doing well in math?"

"I am, I'm just a little tired."

Her mom poured a cup of coffee for herself and sat across from her daughter, who blew off a baby hair that had hung over her forehead.

"I used to have the same little baby hairs too, you know."

"Yeah, they're a pain in the butt."

"You'll grow out of it. So, what're you stuck on?"

_Kristy Thomas._

That's what Dawn should have said, but she knew that her mom was referring to her homework. She also wasn't sure if she wanted to tell her about what happened. Not yet.

"I hate fractions. Why do I even need to know this stuff?" She answered, tapping her pencil rapidly against the table. 

Her mom reached across to halt her tapping, "You need fractions to measure the stress that you're enduring..."

Dawn smiled at her mom's sarcasm and sighed, putting her pencil down altogether. 

Her mom spoke again, "So fractions, huh?"

Dawn nodded.

"You sure there's nothing else going on in that giant brain of yours?"

Dawn shook her head as her mom sipped her coffee. She always did this _thing_ when she knew that Dawn was hiding something, and for some reason it always got Dawn to spill.

"I did something that I regret, but I don't want to tell you about it yet because I don't want you to look too far into it," Dawn told her. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her chest.

"Why do you regret this thing that you did?"

"Because it's going to mess everything up! My friendships, the club..."

"Does this thing have to do with Kristy Thomas?"

Dawn put her head in her hands and nodded, "it sucks and I'm an idiot."

"You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

Dawn’s mom was pretty good at knowing when to let a topic go, or rather when to wait for Dawn to come to her. Dawn loved the level of trust that they shared with each other and she knew that eventually, the truth would come out. 

“Well, when you’re ready I’ll be here to listen. In the meantime, give yourself a break! Go for a walk and clear your head before you have to come back to reality.”

Her mom left the room with her coffee in hand and went to sit on the porch, dialing her sister.

Dawn’s phone buzzed and she was quick to check it. It was the group chat.

**Stacey** **_: My parents are going out of town on Friday and are trusting me to stay home alone!_ **

**Claudia _:_** **_Wow…my parents won't even let me stay at a friend’s without having to check in with them every hour._ **

**Mary-Anne _:_** **_Same._ **

Dawn waited for Kristy’s reply, but it didn’t come. So, she answered.

**Dawn:** **_Being home alone scares me._ **

**Claudia:** **_Dawn, you’re supposed to be the level-headed one!_**

Dawn smiled and put her phone down as the group chat’s notifications multiplied. Speaking of multiplying, she had to finish her math homework. After Dawn had filled out a few answers, she checked her messages again.

**Stacey:** **_You guys should stay over with me!_ **

Claudia and Mary-Anne both denied her invitation because of their parents’ strict grip on them.

**Stacey:** **_Obviously they’d say no if they knew that my parents weren’t home, that’s why I had a great idea- tell them you have an overnight babysitting job! It’s foolproof._ **

**Claudia:** **_I guess I could try…_**

**Mary-Anne** **_: It’s a long shot but I could too._ **

**Kristy:** **_I watched the O’Bryin’s kids overnight a few weekends ago, so we could all use them as an excuse?_**

_Finally_ Kristy replied to the group chat- she was never the best at texting back. Although that quality annoys most people, Dawn liked that about her. It means that she doesn’t spend a lot of time on her phone as the rest of their generation does. She keeps busy doing other things. In fact, Dawn bet she was doing homework right about now.

_____________________________________________________________________

“Okay, let me get this right. You were offered a babysitting job that would require you to spend the night?” Dawn’s mom asked the following Thursday, the day before the sleepover. Somehow, all of the other girls’ parents allowed them to stay overnight for a job. Dawn prayed that her mom would do the same.

“I’m not sure I like that idea, what if something happened to the kids? Or _you_?” She asked.

Dawn sighed, “It’ll be _fine_ , mom. You don’t have to worry.”

“Well, okay. I just want to call and talk to the parents to make sure everything is okay.”

Dawn’s heart dropped- she didn’t plan around her mom asking to talk to anyone. Of _course_ she would want to. Dawn’s palms started sweating and she hoped that her mom didn’t notice how nervous she was.

“Of course, yeah, I’ll just uh, I’ll get their phone number from Kristy. She’s watched for them before,” Dawn stuttered and went to text the group chat.

**Dawn:** **_Slight problem…my mom wants to speak to their parents._**

**Claudia:** **_Who?_**

**Dawn:** **_The O’Bryins._**

The group was silent for a few minutes before Kristy replied.

**Kristy:** **_I don’t know how to get you out of that one, buddy._**

_Did Kristy just call me buddy?_

That’s when Dawn had a plan. Not a great one- but it was a start.

“Actually, I don’t have to anymore. Kristy agreed to watch them,” Dawn told her mom, “besides, I hear their kids are a handful.”

Her mom smiled and pat her shoulder as she walked by, “Well, that’s good. I don’t think you’re ready for an overnight job like that. Maybe one of the other girls want to spend the night instead?”

Dawn shook her head, “I think I’ll just have some me-time tomorrow.”

___________________________________________________________________________

Dawn met up with the other girls at the BSC meeting after school and they talked about what their plans were for that night.

“I can’t believe Richard let you stay the night at a stranger's house…let alone one without a parent,” Kristy said amazed.

“Actually, he thinks I’m staying at Claudia’s,” Mary-Anne corrected her and looked over at Claudia, “thanks to Janine.”

“We still owe her 2 weeks of babysitting money.”

“It’s worth it; girls night!”

Everyone was so excited about tonight, but Dawn sunk in her chair. Stacey asked her what was wrong.

“My mom wanted to talk to the O’Bryin’s parents so I had to tell her that I didn’t have to watch them anymore.”

The girls frowned, including Kristy.

“But, I have an idea…” Dawn added.

“What’s your idea?” Kristy asked.

“I could sneak out? I’d have to be home before my mom wakes up, obviously, but it’s definitely possible. She usually drinks, like, two cups of chamomile tea before bed so she’s a pretty heavy sleeper.”

“Maybe get her to drink three?” Stacey joked and everyone laughed.

____________________________________________________________________

It was almost midnight and Dawn hadn’t heard any noises for an hour, so she hoped that her mom was asleep. She quietly slipped her Vans on and tiptoed down the stairs, picking her sweatshirt off the back of a dining room chair and slowly opened their front door. It was an older house, so it squeaked when it opened. Dawn cursed under her breath and froze, listening for any signs of her mom waking up. After a few more seconds, she slipped out the door and shut it slowly. After hearing the “click”, she let out the breath that she had been holding and hopped on her bike; Stacey’s house was only a 10-minute bike ride from Dawn’s, and it was actually a decent night to be biking. It wasn’t cold, but the spring air was cool enough for her to wear an extra layer. That and the wind from biking made it a little more chilly.

When she finally arrived at Stacey’s, she rolled her bike to the side gate and went in through the back door as Stacey had mentioned. As soon as she walked in, the girls went to greet her.

“Finally! We’ve been waiting for forever!” Stacey cheered and hugged Dawn, pulling her hand to join them in a circle on the floor.

“What’re you playing?” Dawn asked. There were cards splayed out around them.

“We were playing spades, but I have a better idea,” Stacey smirked and the other girls looked at each other with confused expressions.

Instead of stating her idea, Stacey left the room. What she came back with surprised everyone.

“Is that…”

“Yep! I found it in the basement. It’s from my uncle’s college graduation party that we hosted last summer.”

“Stacey…I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Kristy mumbled.

“Aren’t you a _little_ curious?” Mary-Anne asked and Kristy looked at her wide-eyed.

“How uncharacteristic of you, Mary-Anne,” Claudia teased, “I’m in. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Um, we could die??!” Kristy responded and the group laughed. Everyone but Dawn.

“You’re not going to die, Kristy. We’ll just play a game and if it sucks then we can stop. You don’t _have_ to drink with us either.”

_If Kristy hated one thing, it was being left out. Also Watson. And proms._

“Fine, what game?” Kristy asked, fixing her ponytail.

Dawn was sitting across from her and scanned her outfit. A navy blue crewneck over grey sweatpants. Nothing out of the ordinary for Kristy’s daily attire.

“Truth or dare?”

“No, that’s for babies,” Stacey replied, “never have I ever?”

“What have any of us done aside from kissing?” Claudia asked.

“True…”

“We could play Truth or Drink? You ask someone a question and they can either answer it or drink,” Claudia suggested and everyone seemed to like that idea. Kristy stayed silent and it was obvious that she was against everything that was going on. Dawn actually felt a little bad for the girl, considering how hard it was for Kristy to accept being the one who’s afraid.

“Dawn, you’re first. What grade do you have in English?” Mary-Anne asked.


	4. I wouldn't

"In English? I have an 84 percent! But my mom thinks I have an 85," Dawn answered.

"Must be the sign of the times," Kristy smirked.

"Kristy, you can't talk. You freak out when you get less than an A on an assignment..." Stacey added.

"I do _not_."

"Do too."

"Well if I do, it's justified! Besides, I would have to actually _get_ less than an A in order to freak out in the first place," she crossed her arms, "and B has never been in my vocabulary."

Dawn had never heard Kristy talk about her grades before, it was just always known that she excelled. Actually, she excelled in everything she did. Academics, sports, babysitting. Was there anything that Kristy Thomas _couldn't_ do?

"Can you do a cartwheel?" Dawn asked aloud. 

_That was meant to stay in my head._

The room went quiet as everyone looked at Dawn. Stacey spoke up, "a cartwheel?" 

Dawn just nodded.

"Who, me?" Kristy asked. Dawn nodded again, "Of course I can, who can't?" 

Mary-Anne rose her hand, shamefully putting it back down when she realized she was the only one.

"Then do it," Claudia pitched in. Kristy stood up and brushed her sweatpants off. 

"Wait, do it outside!" Stacey pleaded and guided the girls out her backdoor so Kristy could have more space.

Kristy cleared her throat and went to do a cartwheel, making it halfway before she tumbled to the ground, "Alright, maybe I _can't_ do a cartwheel. It's a useless skill anyway."

"Here, let me try," Stacey said before landing a perfect cartwheel, bowing dramatically as Claudia and Mary-Anne clapped. Dawn should have as well, but her mind was distracted. She felt Kristy's eyes burning holes in the side of her face and Dawn had to pretend not to notice. All she knew was that Kristy's glare was more frightening than any horror movie she'd ever seen.

Eventually, the girls went back inside to reunite with the bottle that laid between all of them. It was Mary-Anne's turn to spin it, and to Dawn's dismay, it landed on her. 

_Great._

"Dawn...hmmm..." Mary-Anne pondered what to say. Luckily for Dawn, she knew that Mary-Anne would never choose anything too PG-13.

She continued, "have you had any dreams about any of us? Like, recently. What was it about and who?"

Dawn looked at her confused, so Claudia pitched in.

"We spend almost every day together, there's no way that you couldn't dream about one of us at some point."

_Claudia's onto me...isn't she? Nobody knows about the Hawkin's...unless Kristy told someone. But Kristy wouldn't do that._

"That's true, you guys pop up every once in a while," Kristy chimed in. Dawn raised her eyebrows at Kristy's sudden interest. 

"Sure, of course," Dawn answered. That wasn't enough.

"Soooo...who and what was it about?" Mary-Anne asked and Dawn felt her palms start to sweat. she pressed them against her thighs and cleared her throat. 

"Uhh, you! Mary-Anne you were the last person I dreamt about. We went to space and the window kept opening and it was crazy. Pretty sure we had a picnic on the moon."

_The moon? What the hell am I saying?_

Dawn looked over at Kristy, and quickly diverted her attention back to Mary-Anne, who looked at her with squinty eyes, "you're fibbing."

"Am not."

"Actually, yeah, you totally are," Kristy said again, and Dawn had to keep her jaw from dropping. Instead of answering their questions, she took the bottle from the center of the circle and twisted the cap off, taking a gulp and cringing immediately. She was the first person who had to drink, and she was sure that her reaction had freaked the other girls out. The last person she dreamt about was Kristy. Obviously.

"Is it gross?"

"What does it taste like?"

"Are you drunk?"

Dawn put the bottle back in place and shook her head, "I'm fine, let's keep going." 

A few more rounds went by and Dawn watched the other girls slowly get more and more tired. It seemed like Dawn was the only one who had the guts to drink. Part of that was due to her inability to sit calmly in the same room with Kristy Thomas. She thought that the alcohol would help her take her mind off of the girl, but it only made her feelings more apparent. Soon enough Stacey was up in her bedroom and Claudia was sharing the guest bed with Mary-Anne. Dawn went to the bathroom before she got ready to go and when she came out, Kristy was cleaning up the living room.

"You're still up?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah? I've only been alone for five minutes."

"Oh, right," Dawn scratched her head and shrugged.

Kristy stared at her and leaned the broom that she was holding against the kitchen counter, "you're drunk, aren't you?"

"Can you blame me?"

"Blame you for being drunk?"

"Yeah."

"I mean, no. That's not exactly what I was doing."

Dawn pursed her lips and tried to read the conversation. Was Kristy upset that she was drunk, or was Dawn just overthinking things?

"I wish I wasn't, to be honest," Dawn admitted as she sat down on the floor to slip her shoes on. Her laces kept falling through her fingers when she tried to tie them.

Kristy knelt down to her level and swatted Dawn's hand away from her shoe so she could tie the laces herself, "There."

"Thanks," Dawn said softly. She stayed sitting on the ground, hoping that Kristy would do the same. To her demise, Kristy stood up.

"Why did you drink if you were just going to regret it?" Kristy asked her irritatedly. That was a question that Dawn had considered as well. 

"I don't know. Drinking alcohol shouldn't have even been an idea to cross our minds," Dawn paused, "I shouldn't have come in the first place."

"Why?"

"Because I ruined our friendship by kissing-" Kristy shooshed her and peeked around the corner to see if the guest room's door was still cracked. It was.

"You can't talk about that here," Kristy said sternly. Dawn wondered how Kristy could be so small and yet so intimidating at the same time.

"Well, when are we-going to talk about it?" Dawn hiccuped in the middle of her sentence and Kristy broke her glare, letting out a soft laugh. The soft laugh that Dawn loved.

"You're really pretty, Kristy."

Kristy's cheeks flushed the slightest bit as she broke their gaze, "okay, drunko. Time for you to go to bed. You can sleep on the couch and I'll take the floor."

"I'm not staying the night here."

"You aren't?"

"No, why do you think I was putting my shoes on?" Dawn said as she pointed at her shoes. She looked down at them after she saw Kristy laughing.

Kristy had tied both of her shoe's laces together.

"Wowwwww, very mature."

"Thanks, I do my part."

Dawn smiled and laughed as well, enjoying the time together that wasn't consumed by awkward avoidance. Her smile faded, "I would take it back if I could, you know."

"You would?" Kristy asked, quietly. Dawn nodded.

"I wouldn't." 


	5. Burt's Bees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I might wrap this up within the next chapter or two, or even this one. I feel weird going further into detail because they have like... 14-year-olds playing their characters on Netflix lol. BUT sometimes short and sweet is better.

Dawn's heartbeat sped up and she could feel the thump of each pulse coursing through her. 

_What did she mean she wouldn't? Wouldn't what? Take it back?_

"You wouldn't...?"

"No," Kristy answered, "at least, I don't think so." 

"But you freaked out on me."

"You can't just go around kissing whoever you want to prove a point. Sooner or later you're going to hurt someone's feelings...or hurt your own."

"Are you saying I hurt your feelings?"

Kristy scoffed and shook her head, "Of course not. I'm not sensitive like the other girls are. I just simply do not like to be kissed."

Dawn wondered how much of that was true. She could believe that Kristy didn't like kissing people yet, but the 'sensitive' part didn't make as much sense. She knew Kristy wasn't all tough and mighty all of the time- she witnessed that side of her in person.

"What was your dream about?" Kristy asked. Dawn snapped out of her thoughts to ask her what she said.

"I asked you what your dream was about," Kristy repeated herself, "because obviously it was about me, otherwise you wouldn't have drank to hide it." 

"Maybe I just wanted an excuse to drink," Dawn mumbled and untied her laces from each other to tie them in proper bows the best she could. Kristy watched her struggle but didn't offer to help this time.

"That's a pretty poor excuse-" 

"Why do you want to know anyway?" Dawn looked up at Kristy before pulling herself to her feet. She stood a few inches taller than Kristy but still felt smaller than the other girl.

"Curiosity just gets the best of me sometimes."

"Right," Dawn nodded, chewing her bottom lip, "well, I'm heading out. My mom is an early riser so I need to be back as soon as possible."

Kristy adjusted her ponytail and stood up straight, "I'll walk you home."

"What? No way."

"Why not?"

"Because then you'll have to walk back here alone."

"Yeah, but I won't be inebriated doing so," Kristy responded. Dawn knew that she was a _tiny_ bit right, but there was no chance that she would let her do that. She figured Kristy could tell that she wasn't giving up the fight because she added, "I'll walk you halfway."

Dawn thought that was a pretty fair deal so she waited for Kristy to slip into her converse before she followed her out the door. They walked silently, but it was a comfortable silence. There was no need to make small talk. One of Dawn's hands gripped her handlebar and the other swayed by her side. Her sleeves went a little over her wrist, but it kept her hands warm. Dawn was always amazed at how much difference the time of day affected the temperature. Just six hours ago she was running around in a T-shirt, and now she had to hold back a shiver. It was probably the wind to blame.

As the girls turned their first corner their hands brushed each other. Do you know that feeling? When it's kind of awkward and you just have to laugh it off?

"Sorry," Kristy laughed breathily, "didn't mean to hold your hand."

Dawn smiled, "it happens."

She said that and a sudden urge swept through her body. A rush of courage followed.

_Maybe now is the time to do it._

She took in a deep breath and reached her arm out to softly hold Kristy's hand in her own. Kristy looked down at their hands and back up at Dawn, opening her mouth to say something, but decided against it. Dawn felt her hands start to heat up and she cursed at herself for getting nervous so often around Kristy.

"Your hand is clammy," Kristy said, but still didn't let go.

"Maybe _yours_ is the clammy one."

Kristy stopped walking and let go of Dawn's hand, turning to face her. She reached out for Dawn's other hand and ran her fingers across her palm, "nope, definitely you."

Dawn wanted to respond but she couldn't put any words together. Her stomach filled with butterflies as Kristy's fingers remained to hover over Dawn's skin. When she finally pulled away, Dawn fought to hold back a frown. At the moment, Kristy's brown eyes looked almost golden underneath the streetlamp and her cheeks were rosy from the chilly breeze. 

"Dawn, I..."

Just before Kristy could finish, two headlights blinded them from the side. 

"Dawn Read Schafer, you'd better have a good explanation for this!" Dawn's heart dropped and she froze, Kristy was in a similar position. 

_Thank god we aren't holding hands anymore._

"Mom..." She croaked.

"Alright, let's go, ladies. Hop in."

The two girls obeyed and sat anxiously in the car ride back to Dawn's house. They all sat at the kitchen table and Kristy nervously picked at her nails.

"What's going on?" Dawn's mom asked. Neither girl had an answer that wouldn't give them away for 1) drinking alcohol, 2) Stacey's open house, and 3) Dawn still being a little tipsier than she'd like to be in that moment. If at all, really. She really hoped that she was good at hiding it, but her loss for words made that possibility a bit unstable. 

"I wanted to talk to Dawn and it couldn't wait until tomorrow," Kristy said. Dawn was surprised that she was so willing to take the blame.

"And it couldn't happen over the phone? You _had_ to wait until 4 in the morning to take a stroll together?" 

The girls nodded.

"Aren't you supposed to be staying over at the house that you're babysitting for?" 

Dawn felt Kristy tense up beside her and she prayed that Kristy could come up with something. When she stayed silent, Dawn nudged her foot with her own, getting her to speak up.

"Yes, I snuck out a few hours after their parents got home," she paused, "are you going to tell my mom?"

"It would be wrong for me not to, Kristy. As a mother, I would want her to do the same thing."

Kristy sunk in her chair and nodded, "That's fair, I guess."

"But, I'm going to do that tomorrow," her mom added, "because some things can _wait_."

The girls knew that her mom was emphasizing that last part for a reason, and just thanked that she didn't call Kristy's mom right away.

"Kristy," Dawn's mom turned to the smaller girl, "you can stay here tonight. Your mom and I will talk in the morning and she can get ahold of the family you were sitting for. Head up to bed now." 

Kristy and Dawn both apologized and hurried up the stairs. Dawn shut her bedroom door behind them and leaned her back against it, clutching her heart through her shirt, "my heart is pounding."

Kristy sat on the edge of Dawn's bed and groaned as she fell backward onto her back, looking up at the ceiling, "mine too."

"Do you think your mom will be mad?"

"Are you kidding?" Kristy scoffed, "She's going to be _livid_. I'm supposed to be the responsible one, remember?!"

Her voice cracked at the last word and Dawn could tell that she was fighting back tears. She went to join her on the bed, lying beside her.

"This is my fault," Dawn whispered.

"Why?"

"Because I was the one who snuck out. I should have just stayed home like I was supposed to."

"Yeah, maybe."

Dawn smirked at Kristy's response. She was never one to sugarcoat anything and Dawn would be lying if she said she expected Kristy to defend her. 

"Why're you smiling?" Kristy asked her. Dawn turned to face her.

"You're just funny."

A confused expression took over Kristy's face as she tried to put together what that meant.

"Funny..."

_She really is oblivious, isn't she?_

Dawn admired her friend in front of her; Kristy's freckles were painted across her nose and her now-rosy cheeks. Her hair was up, but her baby hairs framed her face. Dawn knew that she was tired because her eyes had a darker tint underneath them, though barely noticeable. Her sleepiness dulled down her fiest and instead of the hard-shelled girl that everyone knew her to be, Kristy Thomas was soft. 

Dawn didn't know which of them initiated it, but the gap between them slowly closed and Dawn's lips found Kristy's once again. It was a sweet and simple kiss, but it felt like it lasted forever to dawn. She would've been okay with it lasting forever. Kristy was the first to pull away. Her cheeks were flushed.

"Burt's Bees," Dawn mumbled, not realizing that she was thinking aloud.

"What?" Kristy asked at the same volume. Instead of explaining herself, Dawn went in for another kiss. This time, Kristy didn't stop her. 

She raised her hand up to Kristy's cheek and she felt Kristy do the same, pulling her in closer. If it wasn't for the sound of Dawn's mom walking past the room, Dawn was sure that she could stay there with Kristy for hours. 

"Dawn," Kristy whispered against Dawn's lips, their breath warm between them.

"Yeah?"

"We should stop," she insisted and sat back up in bed. She awkwardly fidgeted with her hands as Dawn sat back up with her. 

"True, we should."

Kristy nodded and leaned in for one more kiss. Short, but full of meaning. She pulled away after a few seconds. 

"Let's go to bed. I'm exhausted and I'm _so_ not prepared to face my mother's wrath when she gets that call tomorrow."

Dawn agreed and they slipped under the covers before Dawn reached over to shut her lamp off. 

"Goodnight."


	6. The Talks

Kristy and Dawn had a few things in common: they were both natural-born leaders, loyal friends, ambitious, and self-motivated. What they didn't have in common was that Kristy was an early riser, while Dawn loved her beauty sleep. 

"Dawn," Kristy whispered. Dawn barely acknowledged by groaning. She was facing away from the wall on the edge of the bed.

Kristy was quiet for a few more moments before Dawn felt her lightly shaking her arm.

"What time is it?" Dawn mumbled as she rubbed her eyes and shifted to lay on her back.

"Almost 8:30. I don't think your mom has called mine yet because she hasn't called me."

"That's good," Dawn smirked with her eyes still shut, "you have a few more hours of freedom." 

"Not funny," Kristy pouted. Dawn opened her eyes and looked over at Kristy. She was laying on her side with one arm holding her up, her cheek resting in the palm of her hand. Dawn's never had a sleepover with Kristy before so she sort of expected Kristy to be a grumpy riser. She was surprised to see that she was the opposite.

"Are you nervous?" Dawn asked her.

"A little, yeah. I've never been in trouble before."

"You haven't?"

"Not for something like this- just for like...not doing my chores or talking back to my teachers," she explained, "and even then my mom and I have a really trusting relationship."

Dawn stretched out her arms, "At least we'll both be going through it together."

"Together as friends."

Dawn raised her eyebrows at Kristy's statement, "You okay?"

Kristy nodded in response and sat up in bed, leaning her back against the wall and crossing her legs.

"Okaaaay," Dawn said and yawned, "weirdo."

"Who're you calling a weirdo?"

" _You_."

"For what reason?"

"For being weird."

Kristy rolled her eyes but Dawn saw a hint of a smile being held back. Kristy finally looked down at her groggy friend and met eyes once again. Dawn liked it when they didn't have to avoid each other's gazes- liked when there was no discomfort. 

Dawn's bedroom door opened suddenly and her mom came in with coffee in her hand.

"Since when don't you knock???" Dawn asked, regretting using the tone that she did.

"Since you snuck out of the house at 3 in the morning," she rebutted before looking over at Kristy, "Kristy, your mom's upfront." 

Kristy nodded and jumped out of bed, hurrying out of the Schafer's house. 

"Alright, let's talk downstairs."

Dawn nodded and followed her mom into the dining room where they sat across from each other- like they do every day. This time felt different.

"I thought that we had an honesty policy, Dawn."

"We did! Or, we _do_ ," Dawn defended, "it was stupid and I shouldn't have done it."

"You could have come and talked to me if it was that important. I worry about you girls wandering about at night."

Dawn felt like she owed her mom an explanation but couldn't do so without ratting the other girls out. She was stuck. Dawn felt like she owed her mom at least some part of the truth.

"I think I have feelings for Kristy, mom."

Her mom sat back in her chair and held her stern expression, worrying Dawn. After a second, she let out a chuckle.

"A mother's intuition is truly remarkable."

"W-what?" Dawn stuttered. She's never stuttered in her life.

"Dawn, I'm not as oblivious as I may seem. I've dabbled around with highschool love too, you know. That's how I met Mr. _I tuck in all of my shirts_ Spier."

"It's not _love_ , Mom, geez..."

"But it's meaningful and she's important to you."

Dawn nodded, "Yeah, she is."

" _So_ ," she smirked, "Does she like you back?"

"I'm not sure. Actually, I have no idea. She's kind of the most confusing person I've ever met."

"Mmmm, and that says a lot considering we live only a few blocks away from your aunt."

Dawn laughed and they talked about Kristy for what felt like an hour, although it only lasted a quarter of that. 

"Well, Dawn. I've raised you to be proud of who you are as a strong and independent woman, and no matter who you love or who you don't love, you will always be my favorite little human."

Dawn smiled appreciatively and hated that she got choked up so easily. Thankfully, she knew who she got it from. Across the table, her mom was dabbing tears off the corners of her eyes with the end of her sleeves. She stood up and walked behind Dawn, wrapping her arms around her for a tight hug. 

Right before she pulled away she whispered, "You're still _very_ grounded."

Dawn hoped the conversation between the Thomas' was going just as well as the one she just had.

\-------------------------------------------------

Kristy had her face in the palms of her hands. She was sitting crisscrossed on her bed with her mom on the other side of it.

"Kristy."

"Hmm?"

Her mom reached her hand out to lift her daughter's chin up to look at her. Kristy didn't cry often in front of people, so when she did, her mom knew it was genuine.

"This is not the end of the world."

Kristy groaned and sat up straight, wiping her tears off of her cheeks, "it honestly feels like it might be!"

"I know, but you're kind of dramatic sometimes." 

"That's only _sometimes_ true."

They both laughed.

"You've been off lately, has something happened at school?" She asked, "Did you get a B? Because if you did, you know that's not something to worry about, right? I'm proud of you regardless always and-"

"I didn't get a B, Mom," Kristy interrupted, "I guess everything is just changing really quickly."

"It is."

"Like, you're married and Dawn's mom is dating Richard-"

"-Still a surprise-"

"-and both Mary-Anne _and_ Claudia have boyfriends," Kristy cringed after saying that, "Stacey could have one too if she wasn't too busy crushing on Sam."

"Stacy has a crush on Sam?"

"It's horrifically disgusting," Kristy answered and her mom laughed, "not sure what she sees in him."

"Yeah, well, you're at the age where girls start to swoon over any boy they make eye-contact with," she told Kristy, "especially those who can play Wonder Wall on the guitar."

"Boys are a waste of time."

"They sure can be, yes," her mom agreed.

Kristy was surprised at how well her mom was handling this. She expected her to get as mad as she was at Charlie when he got caught with a vape in his backpack, but she seemed so calm and collected. Kristy, on the other hand, was a mess of guilt, anxiety, and embarrassment. 

"Do you want to tell me why you didn't end up at the Hawkin's?"

Kristy's face went white as she remembered the blatant lie she told to cover up her night at Stacey's. She tried to think of a way out, but she soon accepted that she was in too deep. She sighed.

"There was no babysitting job at the Hawkin's."

"What did you do instead?"

"If I say, I'll throw everyone else under the bus."

Her mom nodded and rubbed her chin, "I'll tell you what; if you tell me the whole truth, I won't reach out to the other parents. _But_ if they ask me, I won't lie. Deal?"

Kristy nodded and hesitantly said, "Deal."

She explained everything, but left out just two details; There was no alcohol involved and she never kissed Dawn Schafer. 

\----------------

All of the girls met up with each other the following Monday at lunch to talk about what happened.

"Where did you go on Friday?"

"Why haven't you answered the group chat?"

"I thought you died!"

That last one was Mary-Anne. 

"Dawn's mom caught us walking home together," Kristy told them. She didn't sound mad, but Dawn wondered how she felt about it being Dawn's fault.

"I'm to blame, I should've stayed home," she said shamefully. Claudia touched her arm lovingly.

"It's okay, I'm just glad you made it home alright. We were all worried about you."

"Especially because you were a little drunk," Stacey added, "maybe the alcohol wasn't a good idea."

Stacey said that and froze, a thought occurring in her mind, "wait...does your mom know about the alcohol?"

"No, she doesn't know about your house at all, actually! I just told her that Kristy and I went on a walk to talk. That's all."

"How'd she take it?"

"I'm grounded from my phone for a week...and I'm off the schedule for babysitting. I can still go to meetings though!" Dawn explained, "How did your mom react, Kristy?"

"She wasn't that mad, actually. She took my phone away too, but I'm still allowed to babysit."

"Does she know about Stacey's?" Mary-Anne asked, worried. 

Kristy Thomas wasn't known to lie; she's always been vocal about how people shouldn't be so afraid of honesty. That's why Kristy got in trouble so often. Dawn wondered if she had told the complete truth to her mom. She hoped she didn't.

"She does..." Kristy bit her lip. 

The girls looked at her wide-eyed and began protesting. Everyone except Dawn, of course.

"She knows about everything but she said she wasn't going to tell your parents, and I trust that she wouldn't," Kristy paused, "but she did say that she wouldn't lie if one of your parents asked her about it."

The girls agreed that Kristy's mom was being reasonable, but Dawn wondered what "everything" entailed. 

_Did she tell her about the hand-holding? Or the kiss?_

It was like Kristy read her mind because she looked across the table at Dawn before telling the group that she kept the _alcohol and_ _stuff_ out of the story. Dawn knew what that meant. Or, at least she thought she knew. She wished that they had their phones to talk further about what happened, but that conversation would have to wait.


	7. You should do that more often

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, guys. I'm so glad you enjoyed the story which is why I hate to say this, but I've decided to end it here! School started again and I'm swamped already so I don't want to leave it hanging on a note that doesn't tie it together. If I have time at some point I might add something here and there but I can't promise anything. Anyway, enjoy, and stay safe & healthy!!

“It’s going to suck to not have you in our group chat!” Stacey frowned.

“Kristy only replied _maybe_ once a day, but it will still be a bummer,” Claudia joined.

Kristy spoke up, “we can still see each other at lunch _and_ we have three BSC meetings a week. It’s not like we’re never going to see each other again. Don’t worry, I’m still president.”

Dawn was the only one who got a kick out of that.

“I wish you were still living next door. Then we could talk to each other like we used to as kids,” Mary-Anne referred to their secret flashlight language. Actually, it took up until now to realize how impressive it was that they came up with that.

“Me too...” Kristy cleared her throat, “I wish I was still living there too.”

It seemed like after Watson’s and Elizabeth’s wedding, everyone stopped acknowledging the fact that Kristy had to move out of the house she had spent her whole life in- the house that her father made his final appearance in. She was clearly still distraught, but as always, she hid it well.

Dawn didn’t know Kristy before this school year, but she was close to Mary-Anne and they spoke about what happened once.

_“He’s a jerk. It took him two years to agree to sign the divorce papers with Kristy’s mom. He said he would help with child support but stopped making payments after three months.”_

_“Isn’t he required to do that?”_

_“I’m not sure, all I know is Elizabeth had to work extra hard to get to where she is now. I used to bring Kristy the clothes that I didn’t fit in anymore because she would get hand-me-downs from her brothers.”_

_Dawn nodded, “did she ever wear them?”_

_“She kept most of my turtlenecks, yes. But I think she’s okay with wearing her brothers’ old clothes. I think it makes her feel closer to them.”_

_“I guess that makes sense, but I don’t completely understand why wearing their clothes would make her feel closer to them. Can’t they just have a family game night or something?”_

_Mary-Anne shrugged, “if you think about it, Kristy’s the only girl in a house full of boys- aside from her mom, of course. That’s why they get along so well.”_

_“I feel bad for her. As unconventional as my family is, I don’t know what I’d do without my dad.“_

_“Me neither.”_

“But you’ll always find a best friend in me,” Mary-Anne reassured her.

“Us too,” Claudia smiled and the other girls agreed. Kristy looked happy and for the first time in a long time, Dawn saw her real smile. The cheek-to-cheek grin.

Friendship is so important, and even though the girls are drastically different from one another, they share something similar: unconventional family dynamics. It brings them together.

Stacey has diabetes and a strained mother-daughter relationship (which is finally being healed).

Mary-Anne’s mother passed away when she was a baby and in result, her father is overprotective.

Claudia’s parents don’t believe that art is a reliable aspiration.

Kristy’s father left them when she was 8.

And Dawn’s parents divorced because her father had an affair with another man.

Though, Dawn was okay with this. She loved seeing how much happier father was. Almost as much as she loved seeing her mom happy with Richard. It was weird to think that one day her and Mary-Anne would be sisters. Weird, but good. Sometimes the world brings people together, and the fact that Mary-Anne was the first person that Dawn became friends with? And that their parents dated in high school? Now that seems more destined than it does ironic.

Then, that makes her wonder how the other girls came into her life. If their parents never met then she wouldn’t be this close to Mary-Anne. If she wasn’t close to Mary-Anne then she wouldn’t have met Claudia, Stacey, and Kristy. Then there’s the fact that Kristy, Claudia, and Mary-Anne have grown up with each other. That brought Stacey into their lives.

Dawn was a spiritual woman and had always trusted the path that mother Earth had set, and for that, she thanked her. She was truly lucky to be where she was. Sometimes, she just wished things could be a little more clear for her.

For example, she watched Kristy on the other side of the room. She was in her director's chair, leaned back with her legs crossed in front of her. She knew that if Kristy had sat up straight, the likelihood that her feet would dangle was more probable than not.

_I’ve never taken the time to notice, though_.

She liked that Kristy was short, though. It proved to the world that you don’t have to be a big person... to be a _big_ person. Dawn was confident that out of all the girls sitting in this room, that Kristy would protect them the best. She’d go to the end of the Earth trying to, at least. All Dawn could offer was the exact same.

The meeting went by as it usually does; the girls got 2 jobs that went to Claudia and Stacey, and they spent the rest of the time talking about boys, school, and other things. Kristy was excited about Softball starting up again and she pitched (pun intended) the idea of everyone joining her team- Kristy’s Krushers.

The other girls weren’t so into the idea of playing a sport in their free time, but Dawn didn’t want to completely discount the idea. If it meant a lot to Kristy, it meant a lot to her.

Kristy and Dawn were the last ones out the door and they sat crisscrossed in the grass as they waited for their moms to pick them up.

“I like you, Kristy.”

Kristy turned her head to face Dawn.

“It’s typically normal for friends to like each other.”

“No, that’s not what I mean...”

Kristy sighed, “I know what you mean.”

“Oh.”

Kristy chewed her lip as they both basked in the awkward silence. It wasn’t often that Kristy found herself at loss for words, and Dawn was a little worried because of that.

“Sorry, I’m not good at this,” Kristy broke the silence.

“At what?”

“Maybe, possibly...I like you too.”

“As...typical friends?” Dawn asked, partially joking- but also not joking. Kristy was a confusing girl, so she couldn’t jump to conclusions when it came to her.

“No,” Kristy cleared her throat and sat up straight, “as more than friends.”

Dawn’s eyes widened and her chest tightened. She couldn’t wrap her head around what she just heard.

“More than friends?”

“I mean unless you’re going to make it into this big deal. In that case, I don’t know how I feel, and it would be peer pressuring to ask me to explain.”

Dawn laughed.

“I get it, I feel the same way. There’s no pressure.”

“Okay, good.”

They were quiet for a moment until Kristy places her hand on top of Dawn’s.

“I’m sorry I’m so negative.”

“You’re actually not,” Dawn responded, “you’ve been hurt, and your guard is justified.”

“I don’t mean to be like this,” Kristy pulled her hand away, “I’m trying to do better. Trying to be nicer.”

Dawn stared at her with a sad look on her face. She was starting to understand Kristy more in-depth after every moment they spent together.

“People think I’m Controlling or an asshole but I really am trying to kind of makeup for the bitterness-“

“-Kristy,” Dawn interrupted. Kristy stopped talking and waited for Dawn to speak.

Dawn didn’t say anything, but instead leaned over and planted a kiss on Kristy’s cheek, pulling away bashfully.

“You should do that more often,” Kristy said quietly, then gave Dawn a small smile. Dawn reciprocated.

“Yes, I should.”


End file.
